Fruit gatherer



J. A.'JOHNSTON FRUIT GATHERER Filed Feb. 19, 1921 3 sheets-sheet 1 [Fe-h. 13, W23.

.J. A. JOHNSTON FRUIT GATHERER Filed Feb. 19, 1921 F ii: M

2 sheets-sheet 2 Petente'd Pei. i3,

JOHN A. iroirru sron,

or soorretnurr, nnnniieim.

rnurr GATHEREJR;

; Application filed February 19, 1321. Eeriel No. 4%,3'83.

j usually shelter]. touletacl' the product which generally tells upon the ground and is suiiieequently picked up and and bruised fruit being discarded.

The present invention facilitates the gathering of prunes and other treegrown prod nets and materially lessens thelabor and re- (hices the cost incideut thereto, besides cushinning the fell. and thereby saving much fruit which otherwise would be injured and rendered unfit tor nmrketaihle pur osesfl Other ohjects and udvantegesWill. he p gun-cut undsugge. themselves as the ueture of" the invention is understood. iVhile the drawingsillustrate an embodin e'n t ftheinvention, it is to heunderstood that in adaptiltq the same to meet diflerent conditions and requirements, various changes in the for details of construction. u'uty he resorted to without departing from the nature of the invention. i liteterring to the accompanying drawing; Forming it part of the specification,

l igure ljs a perspective View of one form of the invention,

1 l igure 2 the like grown upon trees, the letter ere of Fig. 1,

igureB is a detail oi the means for closing the opening ot the frame,

Figure L is a iew similar to li i grure 1 tot urmodificetion, i i t Figure 5 is a sectional yiew on line of? hin. 4:, and

l igure 6. isu detail oi the imiumsfi'or closing the tree opening of the axproiu Fig. 7 is a, detail View partly in cross section, showing the guard and the hip covering the tree opening,

Corresponding andlike parts are referred to in the following description and designated in the several, news of? the drawings by like reference characters.

the ,ireine lmve "t sorted lea/vest twigs i 7 A,

i proportion and. minor is :1 detail section on line 2 2 or removed.

The device comprises an :tpron to he placed uhoi' t it trunk of a tree beneath the branches thereof end a su iporting frame for apron. The apron and its supporting ide opening to admit of pluc il'lfg dev ce about the tree or removing" it Eh iro n The apron may he ottunytex} tile i usuu lly consists of cenvus. The ei'i' u ine may he otrnetelo r wood, or e, JOIIilTLDt'ttiOli oi such materials, in the term illustrated in Figure l and (letuil 'yieuc-i thereof, the sliiortingi return for the apron QQIDPI'iSBS at circljllar Hne 1 legi .2 and hreces 3. Each of the 2 is pro ded wither pair 01'' braces 3 whichextend from oppoeitelsides thereof to the frame 1. The frame 1 inclines to the horizontal end is provided t its lowest point with u spout 4t for delivery of the fruit l One pair of legs are longer than the legs to give the desired inciinztti onto i rz iiie 1, to insure positive dischergeoii the fruit at the/ spout 4:. The cpl-on 5 is secured let its outer edge to tlirzin'ie l and slopes to the spout 4i todirect thetruit to the delivery point. The spout 4: is usuullj of sheet motel and is disposed below the 'irztnie "'1, a distzujlce to insure sullicientislope to the .ELPI'OHHQ or positive delivery of the 8 iiru'it to the s} .)out. The spent 1- projects somedistance from opposite sides of the i'rume Li. and the apron 5 is depressed and riveted or otherwise secured thereto; It Will thus hefiui'ulerstood that the apron his 0011: tin u' us. end forms it lining for the spout. A gate 6 closes an opening formed in at side of the frame 1, said opening being of such size as to admit Ofjilh i-l device being fitted, about the hrrgestsize trees. 'ilhe g rtte (3 is hinged at one end to the frame 1 bordering upon the tree opening end when closed its made secure at its opposite end by S'lIlitktbiGfZLStGIl ing meats such as indicutedet 7 it The apron has at central opening to re ceive the trunk oi? the tree and a slit extends outwardly from said o jieuing through uh edge 01 the apron opposite the opening of the Frame i closed by the gete (3i u'ii his: ad'- Inits ol placing the i l erice uhout u tree or removing it therefrom. A guard 8 is in line with. the-central, openingof the apron 5 and is stitched or otherwise fastened thereto at its lower end and is formed in a side with a slit to admit of ingress and egress of the tree according as the device is placed in aosition The guard 8 is of textile such as canvas and is of tapering form. Suitable fastening means are provided for connecting the parts of the apron 5 and guard 8 bordering upon the slit thereof. As shown,

hooks 9 and eyes 10 are attached to elastic straps 11 which in turn are fastened to the respective edge portions of the parts 5 and 8 bordering upon the slit thereof; The elastic straps 11 "maintain the parts under tenii (l sion which is essential for effective operation." The guard 8 extends upwardly and is fitted about the trunk of thetree above the apron 5 This assists materially in supporting the apron at a central point and prevents any escape of the produce at the tree opening. Truss rods 12 are disposed upon oppositesides of the opening closed by the gate 6 and connect opposite portions of the frame 1. These truss rods are constructed and disposed in a manner so as not to inter-- fer-e with the free movement of the fruit over the apron 5 towards the discharge spout 4. The component parts of the supporting structure illustrated in Figure l are preferably of metal and consist of bars of any cross sectional form.

The supporting structure illustrated in Figure 4 is substantially the same as that shown in Figure l, the chief difference residing in the selection of material and the consequent form. The frame 1 is of rectangular formation because embodying Wooden bars. The legs 2 are disposed at the corners of the frame. The braces 3 extend from opposite sides of the legs 2 to adjacent side :bars of theframe 1. The frame 1 inclines to the horizontal in a manner substantially as herein indicated and is provided in a side withan opening which is closed by means of a gate 6. The gate 6 is a bar removably and slidably retained in position in any manner, preferably by loops 13 secured on the frame and is held against displacement merely by the snug fit thereof in the loops. A. spout d is provided at the lowest point of the apron for the delivery of the fruit in a manner herein stated. The apron 5 is depressed and secured tothe spout. A flap 1-4 closes the apron and extends over the fastening means ofthe slit provided in the apron 5, thereby preventing the escape of any fruit or the retarding of the discharge when passing over the apron. A flap 15 closes the slit formed in a side of the guard 8 and extends over the fastening means thereof.

The device is portable and may be readily shifted from one tree to another, When the gate of the frame is removed and the slits of'the apron 5 and guard 8 released, the device may be placed in position about a tree or removed therefrom. hen the device is in position the apron is located below the branches of the tree and surrouin'ls the trunk thereof. lVhen the tree or branches thereof is shaken, the fruit dislodged falls upon the apron :3, and by reason of the inclination of the latter the fruit is directed to the spout 4 and discharged at one point. suitable receptacle is located below the spout to receive the fruit. An attendant positioned at the spout sorts and separates the fruit and rejects leaves, twigs and undesiral'ile or over ripe fruit. The device is shifted from one tree to another as the gathering in'oceeds. t will he understood that the fruit is cushioned in its fall and is prevented from heing bruised or broken, therein producing a material saving over the method of shahin the fruit upon the ground.

W'hat claimed is:

l. A. fruit gatherer con'iprising an apron having a tree opening andv a slit extendine outwardly therefrom, a supporting frame for the apron having an opening in line with the slit thereof for the ingress and egress of the trees, and a gate for closing the opening of the frame.

2. A fruit gatherer comprising an apron having a tree opening and a slit extending outwardlytherefrom, a supporting frame for the apron having an opening in a. side in line with the slit of the apron, a gate for closing the opening of the frame. and truss rods disposed upon opposite sides of the opening of the frame and conne ting opposite portions thereof.

3. A fruit gathcrer comprising a frame. relatively long legs therel'or, relatively short legs for the frame, braces between opposite sides of the logs and the fran'ie. the latter having an opening in a side, a gate For (hising said opening, truss rods upon opposite sides of the opening and connecting opposite portions of the frame, an apron attached to the fram and having a tree opening, and a slit extending outwardly therefrom in line with the opening of the frame, a tapering flexible guard secured to the apro: in line with the tree openingthereof and having a slit in a side in line with the slit oi the apron, yieldahle fastening means for the slit of the guard and apron, flaps for covering said slits and fastening means, and a spout at the lowest part of the frame and having the apron depressed and attached thereto.

in testimony Wlllifihf l ullix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN A. .lUllNiQ'lUN.

lllh 

